Word parts
What it means
Before birth, a flap-like opening between the right and left atria, the foramen ovale, lets blood skip the lungs. It normally closes soon after birth, when the lungs start working. In about one adult in four it stays partly open. Most people never know they have it, but it can let a blood clot pass from the veins to the brain and cause a strokestrohkSudden damage to part of the brain because its blood supply is blocked or a blood vessel in it bursts.Full entry . It is not the same as an atrial septal defectAY-tree-ul SEP-tul DEE-fektA hole in the wall between the two upper chambers of the heart.atri/o atrium (upper heart chamber)sept/o wall, partition-al relating toFull entry , where part of the wall is missing.
At a glance
| Abbreviations | PFO |
|---|---|
| Also written | PFO |
Related terms
atrial septal defect
A hole in the wall between the two upper chambers of the heart.
stroke
Sudden damage to part of the brain because its blood supply is blocked or a blood vessel in it bursts.
congenital heart defect
A problem in the structure of the heart or its large blood vessels that is present at birth.